U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,731 by James J. Reuther and Robert D. Litt, issued Apr. 27, 1993 to Battelle Memorial Institute, discloses a nested-fiber gas burner characterized by a certain aspect ratio of the fibers.
European Patent Application 0 157 432, by Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B. V., Inventors: D. A. C. McCausland et al, entitled Radiant Surface Combustion Burner, and published Oct. 9, 1985, discloses sintered burner elements of non-woven steel fibers containing chromium and aluminum.
A tutorial on porous radiant burners is contained in U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,111, by Timothy W. Tong et al, issued Dec. 11, 1990 for Porous Radiant Burners Having Increased Radiant Output.
Processes of making heat-resistant burner combustion elements are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,513, by Bodh R. Subherwal, issued Jan. 23, 1990 for Heat Resistant Combustion Element, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,837, by Nancy M. Otto, issued Nov. 7, 1989 for Infrared Burner and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,919, by Roger De Bruyne et al, issued Feb. 18, 1992 for Burner Membrane.
Reference may also be had to U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,470 by J. S. Wright, issued Mar. 16, 1965 for Gas-Fueled Radiant Heater, U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,862, by John W. Bjerklie, issued Jul. 25, 1989 for Porous Body Combustor/Regenerator, U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,261, by Kurt Krieger, issued Aug. 29, 1989 for Method of Operating a Gas-Infrared Radiator, and the Gas-Infrared Radiator, U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,601, by Barry C. Potter, issued Jan. 2, 1990 for Gas Burner.
All and each of the patents listed in this Background of the Invention are herewith incorporated by reference herein.